JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Wednesday received the first shot of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine after Indonesia approved it for emergency use and begins efforts to kill millions of people in the world’s fourth population to vaccinate land.
After Widodo, vaccinated military officials, police and medical officials, as well as the secretary of the Indonesian Ulema council, the church body that ruled last week that the vaccine is halal and can be taken by Muslims. Others such as a health worker, business people and an influencer on social media also got the shots to encourage people to get the vaccine when it is available.
“We must do the vaccination to stop the chain spread of COVID-19 and give us health protection and safety for all Indonesians. It will also help accelerate economic improvement, ”Widodo said.
‘This vaccine is the tool we can use to protect ourselves. But more importantly, the vaccine is the tool to protect our family, our neighbor, the Indonesian people and human civilization, “Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Wednesday.
‘This vaccine is given to promote herd immunity. All 70% of the world’s people need to be vaccinated to achieve this. “The participation of all Indonesians will greatly determine the success of this program,” he said.
The conditional use of the vaccine Sinovac Biotech Ltd. will be rolled out in the coming months with health workers, government officials and other populations at risk. It is free for all Indonesian citizens.
For Indonesia to vaccinate two-thirds of its population, 181.5 million people, Sadikin said the two-shot vaccine needed nearly 427 million doses, including an estimate that 15% could be wasted.
Distribution will not be easy in the vast archipelago where transportation and infrastructure are limited in places. Health officials have expressed concern about keeping the vaccine at the required 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain its safety and efficacy.
‘We know that the distribution of the cold chain is not complete. That is the obstacle, “Sadikin said on Tuesday. ‘The cooling chain facilities are not enough, so we are still distributing some of the vaccines. We’re worried. ”
Indonesia received its first shipment of the Sinovac vaccines on December 6 and began distributing the doses across the country pending authorization for emergency use. It was cleared for emergency use based on clinical trial data and after the Indonesian Ulema council declared the vaccine sacred and halal.
Indonesia’s vaccination program is the first large-scale use of the Sinovac vaccine outside China.
Indonesia has recorded more than 846,000 cases of the virus, including more than 24,600 deaths.
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